with choose your own adventure games sometimes you just get lucky with certain choices. this was my experience with parliament of knives, where i just so happened to get what many call the "golden route" on my first go (i swear!! no guide!!!)

that being said, despite getting the most narratively satisfying ending on my first go, i enjoyed the story being told thoroughly. there were, of course, missing threads i missed out on due to not going through the game again and picking other options, but all in all i was satisfied with my playthrough.

one of my favorite things about these cyoa games is the ability to craft a character that truly becomes your own. i created olivia lovejoy, a ventrue who had little to no charisma and who so loathed her new unlife as a vampire that she grew resentful of her sire, even as she lived relatively comfortably in the ivory tower of the camarilla. even without character customization, images, or voice acting, i found myself incredibly attached to olivia as i played, and wanted to ensure my choices were as in character as possible for her.

this is a good jumping off point if you want to get into the vampire the masquerade series of games/rules, as it explains most things a basic kindred would know. highly recommend for the excellent writing, interesting mystery, and wellspring of options.